Integrative and functional medicine treats the patient as a whole – and many who work in the field are convinced this is the future of medicine. The goal is to understand why the patient is ill, and work to fix the root cause, rather than just prescribe a medication to manage their disease.

Similarly, integrative and functional nutrition is a more personalized approach in which a dietitian and patient partner together to heal the root causes of symptoms or an illness. It’s still science-based, but it considers all aspects of a patient’s lifestyle, genetics, and biochemistry, rather than just prescribing a standard diet for their disease.

Using an integrative and function...

Unless you’ve got your head in the sand, you’re well aware that the most important month for nutrition professionals is right around the corner. That’s right! National Nutrition Month is less than 4 weeks away!

With the recent release of the 2020 US Dietary Guidelines, this year’s theme is all about “personalizing your plate”. As dietetics professionals, it’s our job to help our clients meet their unique nutritional needs on their terms. Gone are the days of simply handing someone a pre-printed list of suggested foods to eat. What good does that do anyone?

Our national Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) has lots of great resources to help you bri...

Contrary to popular belief, dietitians are not the food police. We really love food! We want to give our clients delicious ways to enjoy nutritious food and not see it as punishment. Holidays can be particularly tough for people on modified diets or those wanting to lose weight, but in the end- we all want our cake and to eat it, too.

This month, I’ve asked a handful of RDs for their best recipe hacks. These include creative tips to increase the nutrient quality of a dish without compromising flavor and practicing mindfulness. Lettuce face it- food must taste good for us to eat it!

Recipe hacks

Joby Neelankavil www.jobyneelankavil.com advises “using cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg to...

Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses in the United States. Severe depression can impact a person’s quality of life and their ability to function throughout the day. Treatment with medication and therapy helps millions. However, nutrition is often overlooked, although it can be an important part of treatment. In many cases, improving one’s diet can go a long way toward managing symptoms of depression.

Facts About Depression

• Major depressive disorder affects more than 16 million Americans. Most are women, and the average age at onset is 32.5. ⁽¹⁾

• About half of those with depression are also diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder. ⁽¹⁾

• Some m...

Food trends come and go. One year, kale is the latest food in the culinary spotlight, being added to smoothies, salads and sold as chips. The next, avocados are America’s sweetheart. While both of these super foods are still in style and highly sought after, a few other ingredients and trends are making their way to your local grocery. Here’s a review of the top 5 latest food trends to look out for.

1. Pea protein- Americans are becoming increasingly concerned about their health and the health of the environment, which is a good thing. As we move away from animal-based products, plant-based proteins remain popular. Pea protein, made from yellow peas, may be found in anything fro...

It’s August! A time when students are getting ready to return to school. While many of us think of school as a place to learn and socialize, families suffering food insecurity may see it as a place to eat. Many schools operate year-round to keep kids fed during the summer months.

Summer feeding

Dietitian Donna Martin, Director of Burke County School Nutrition Program in Atlanta has been working all summer with her staff of 50+ people, feeding roughly 4,000 students a day. “Food is either being picked up by families or being delivered by buses. While it’s been more difficult due to COVID19, the silver lining is that, food that was going to be used by restaurants has been d...

With temperatures rising, the last thing people want to endure is more heat, especially in their kitchens. Summer is the perfect ‘thyme’ to enjoy seasonal produce from your garden, farmer’s market or grocery. There’s plenty of creative meals that can be made from fresh produce and pantry staples.

In addition to keeping the heat down, research shows that plant-based diets reduce the incidence of certain cancers, diabetes, heart disease and obesity. ¹ Plant-based proteins such as legumes, lentils, nuts/seeds and soy-based products are becoming more popular for their health benefits including fiber, heart-healthy fat and phytochemicals. ² These protein sources are also ...